WestConn News

GRANT SEMINARS – ADVANCE YOUR RESEARCH AGENDA

The Grants Office will host seminars in Warner Hall, Room 315, from noon to 12:45 p.m. on Wednesdays during the fall semester. Bring your lunch! Beverages and dessert will be provided. If you have questions, please contact Martha Palanzo at x78944. The seminars are as listed below:

On Tuesday, Sept. 22, illustrator Victor Juhasz will discuss his work at 11 a.m. in Viewing Room 1 of White Hall. The event will be free and open to the public, and it will be presented as part of the university's Master of Fine Arts slide lecture series. For more information, call x78881.

TUTORING RESOURCE CENTER WORKSHOPS

The Tutoring Resource Center will sponsor scholarly workshops during the fall semester. All workshops, led by Adjunct Lecturer of Writing Jeanne Lakatos, are open to the public and begin promptly at 2 p.m. in Berkshire Hall, Room 104. To register, please call x79245. The workshops this semester include:

Seasonal flu clinics, sponsored by the Danbury Visiting Nurse Association, will be held during the fall semester. This is not the H1N1 flu shot. There is a $20 fee; for more information, visit danburyvna.org or call (203) 792-4120. The dates and locations of the clinics are listed below:

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, Fairfield University Professor of Biology Dr. James Biardi will discuss "Blood & Guts: Ground Squirrel Defenses to Rattlesnake Predation" at 4 p.m. in Room 219 of the Science Building. Offered as part of the continuing "Research Seminar" series hosted by the department of biological and environmental sciences, the event will be free and the public is invited. For more information, call x78791.

NEWMAN DINNER

On Wednesday, Sept. 23 and Wednesday, Oct. 7, the Newman Center will host a free dinner at 5 p.m. in the center, 7 Eighth Ave., Danbury. The event will be free and open to WestConn students, faculty and staff only. For more information, call (203) 744-5846.

POLITICAL SCIENCE LECTURE

On Thursday, Sept. 24, U.S. Senate candidate Merrick Alpert will discuss federal climate change legislation from 5:25 to 6:25 p.m. during a political science class in Room 209 of Berkshire Hall. The discussion will be free and open to the public. It is one of several scheduled during the semester for the World Governments, Economies and Cultures course taught by Adjunct Instructor Scott Benjamin. For more information, call (860) 210-2146, ext. 129, or e-mail benjamins@wcsu.edu.

THEATRE PRODUCTION: "TROJAN WOMEN" (TROADES OF EURIPIDES)

On Friday, Sept. 25, director Leonidas Loizides will stage his world-touring production of the Greek tragedy "Trojan Women" (Troades of Euripides) at 7 p.m. in Ives Concert Hall. The performance will be free and the public is invited. It is funded by a grant from the foundation of Brookfield industrialist and philanthropist Constantine "Deno" Macricostas and his wife Marie. For more information, call x78832.

BANNED BOOKS WEEK

WestConn will host a celebration of Banned Books Week from Saturday, Sept. 23 to Saturday, Oct. 3, with a number of free, public activities on the university's Midtown campus. For more information, call x78482.

PLANETARIUM SHOW AND TELESCOPE VIEWING

On Saturday, Sept. 26, WestConn will host a 6:30 p.m. planetarium show, "Summer Skies," followed by telescope viewing of the first-quarter moon, summer sky and Jupiter, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., at the Westside Observatory and Planetarium. The event will be free and open to the public. For more information, call x78672.

FACULTY AUTHOR READING

On Thursday, Oct.1, WestConn will host a Faculty Author Reading at 3 p.m. in Warner Hall. Featured will be Associate Professor of History Dr. Marcy May, who will read from her book "Women's Roles in Twentieth Century America," Associate Professor of Nursing Dr. Karen Daley, who was editor of "Simulation Scenarios for Nurse Educators: Making it Real," and Adjunct Instructor Dr. Lisa Rene Reynolds, who wrote "Still a Family: A Guide to Good Parenting through Divorce." This Banned Books Week event will be free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase and signing. For more information, call x78486.

ONE BOOK, ONE COMMUNITY EVENT — BOOK DISCUSSIONS

WestConn, the Danbury Public Library and the Danbury Schools have partnered to create "One Book, One Community," a series of events aimed at encouraging the entire community to read the same book, "Hurry Down Sunshine" by Michael Greenberg. Listed below are the community discussions in which the public are encouraged to attend to discuss this year’s chosen book. For more information, call x78754 or visit onebookdanbury.org.

On Thursday, Oct. 1, the WCSU German Studies Center will present "The Fall of the Wall and Germany's 60-Year Young Constitution: A Prism for Looking at Germany's Recent Past and Future" at 7 p.m. in a location to be determined. Dr. Thiethmar Bachmann, consul for Cultural Affairs and Media for the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in New York, will be the featured speaker. The talk will be free and open to the public. For more information, call Dr. Renate Ludanyi, the center's director, at x78445.

MEET THE CHARACTERS FROM CHILDREN'S BANNED BOOKS

On Thursday, Oct. 1, WestConn will host a "Meet the Characters from Children's Banned Books" event at 12:30 p.m. in the North Ballroom of the Westside Campus. This Banned Books Week event will be free and the public is invited. For more information, call x78412.

TELESCOPE VIEWING

On Thursday, Oct. 1, WestConn will host a telescope viewing of the moon, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus and the summer sky from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., at the Westside Observatory and Planetarium. The event will be free and open to the public. For more information, call x78672.

COMMUNITY UNITED AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WALK

On Sunday, Oct. 4, the Women's Center of Greater Danbury will hold a "Community United Against Domestic Violence Walk" on the athletic practice field on WestConn's Westside campus. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the 4K Walk will begin at 10 a.m. Pre-registration will cost $25 for a team of four and the public is invited. For more information, call the Women's Center at (203) 731-5200. Register online at womenscenterofgreaterdanbury.org.

ONE BOOK, ONE COMMUNITY EVENT — FILM SCREENING

On Monday, Oct. 5, there will be a film screening followed by a discussion of "Awakenings" in the Student Center Theater at 7 p.m. The event, which will be free and open to the public, is offered as part of the "One Book, One Community" series of events aimed at encouraging the entire community to read the same book, "Hurry Down Sunshine" by Michael Greenberg. For more information, call (203) 837-8754 or visit onebookdanbury.org.

LECTURE

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, Suffolk University Professor of English and James Baldwin scholar Dr. Quentin Miller will discuss "No Room of One's Own: The Law in James Baldwin's Early Writings" at 12:30 p.m. in Room 102 of Warner Hall. The talk, part of the WCSU English department's Faculty Lecture Series, will be free and the public is invited. For more information, call x79329.

PANEL DISCUSSION

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, WestConn will host a panel discussion about the Henry Louis Gates incident at 6:30 p.m. in Room 125 of the Science Building. The panel will include Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Education Dr. George Coleman; Danbury Police Chief Al Baker; Glenn Cassis, from the Connecticut African-American Affairs Commission; David Dear, publisher of The News-Times; WCSU Professor of Economics Dr. Oluwole Owoye; Kerri Forrest, a senior producer for The Early Show and CBS News; community leader Alice Hyman; and WCSU Professor Emeritus of Justice & Law Administration Dr. Harold Schramm. The discussion, "The American Divide?" will be free and the public is invited. For more information, call x78486.

Etiquette Dinner

On Tuesday, Oct. 13, the Career Development Center (CDC) is once again sponsoring "Putting Your Best Fork Forward” Etiquette Dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Westside Campus Center Ballroom. Ms. Ann Marie Sabath, a professional etiquette consultant and national speaker, will be presenting such topics as "Key Ways for Enhancing Your Professional Style" and "Dining Etiquette". This is a fun and informative evening for students to learn the ins and outs of dining and professional etiquette. Tips for successful networking and effective communication for a global society will also be presented. This program should be of special interest to seniors as they embark on their professional job search, as well as students who want to gain a competitive edge in the workforce. Pre-registration is required and SPACE IS LIMITED, so students should register now at the CDC, Student Center 227. There is a discounted student rate of $8 for dinner, which is payable by check/cash at the time of registration. Deadline for registration is Tuesday, Oct. 6. Professional attire is required. For more information, contact the CDC at x78263.

ONE BOOK, ONE COMMUNITY EVENT — AUTHOR TALK

On Wednesday, Oct. 7, oncologist Dr. Richard Frank will discuss his book "Fighting Cancer with Knowledge and Hope" at 5 p.m. in Warner Hall. Seating is limited; RSVP. is required. For more information, call x78556 or visit www.onebookdanbury.org.

FALL SEMESTER MASS SCHEDULE

During the fall semester, Mass will be held Sundays at 5 p.m. in Alumni Hall and on Monday through Thursday in the Newman Center at noon. Mass will not be held Labor Day or during Thanksgiving recess. For further information, please contact the Newman Center at (203) 744-5846.

If you plan to attend an event and would like to request disability accommodations, please contact the organizer as listed in the event listing.

WestConn Report is published online for the WestConn community by University Publications & Design (UP&D) biweekly during the academic year. The first issue of each semester is also printed and mailed to all members of the WCSU community. Each issue is archived on the WCSU Web site.

Deadlines: Content deadline is Thursday at noon prior to the Monday publication date. All efforts are made to include content that is supplied, however, all submissions are subject to a strict editing process. Additionally, where and when available, photos and print/Web marketing materials created for an event will be available as either a link (in the case of a Web page) or download (in the case of print materials).

Contacting us:The editorial staff of the WestConn Report can be contacted most efficiently via e-mail. Please send to westconn_report@wcsu.edu. You may also send content via inter-campus mail addressed to “WestConn Report / UP&D – Old Main 202”. Please allow sufficient time. Please do not call the office and leave a voice message with your request.

Research seminar. "Blood & Guts: Ground Squirrel Defenses to Rattlesnake Predation" by Fairfield University Professor of Biology Dr. James Biardi. Science Building, Room 219, 4 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Newman dinner. Newman Center, 5:30 p.m. Free and open to WCSU students and staff only.

Volleyball. WCSU vs. St. Joseph. Westside Athletic Stadium, 7 p.m.

Sept24

Political science lecture. U.S. Senate candidate Merrick Alpert to discuss federal climate change legislation. Berkshire Hall, Room 209, 5:25 to 6:25 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information, e-mail benjamins@wcsu.edu.

Midtown Coffeehouse. Free for WestConn students, staff and faculty. Open mic performers at 8 p.m., followed by the featured act, the Parallel Fifths, at 9 p.m. Alumni Hall. For more information, call x79700.

Planetarium show & telescope viewing. “Summer Skies” show at 6:30 p.m., followed by a telescope viewing of the first-quarter moon, summer sky and Jupiter from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Westside Observatory & Planetarium. For more information, call x78672.

FYI

WCSU Experts Guide

We are currently updating the WCSU Experts Guide, a resource for media professionals that allows them to take full advantage of the wealth of knowledge and experience here at the university. The guide will be organized so that when an important issue or breaking news story arises, the media can be quickly and easily connected with a WCSU expert on that specific topic of interest.

To be included in the guide, please provide your full name, title, phone number, e-mail address and a description of the areas of expertise about which you are qualified to speak. Please note any projects, publications or any other information that sets your experience apart.

We hope to feature as many WCSU faculty members as possible in this guide. Please contact us at pr@wcsu.edu no later than Monday, Oct. 5.

Thanks in advance for your assistance with this project.

— Office of University Relations

extended deadline - sabbatic leave

The deadline for submission of applications for sabbatic leave has been extended to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
All applications must be delivered to Michael Palica, Fiscal Affairs Office, University Hall, Room 222.

FOR FULL-TIME AAUP FACULTY — DEADLINE FOR REASSIGNED TIME FOR RESEARCH AWARDS

The deadline for applications for Reassigned Time for Research Awards for the 2009-10 academic year is Nov. 6. Refer to the Faculty Handbook for further information. The Research and Development (R&D) Committee reviews applications and makes recommendations to the provost/vice president for academic affairs. Be sure to use the most current version of the application form found in the on-line version of the Faculty Handbook. Recipients of previous reassigned time awards must submit a final report before applying for additional reassigned time. Please send reports to the R&D Committee c/o Provost Rinker, Academic Affairs.

Senate meeting

The next meeting of the University Senate will be Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 3:30 p.m. in the Student Center, Room 201. The agenda and other documents relating to the Senate meeting are available for you to read or download from the Senate Web site at wcsu.edu/senate. You are very welcome to attend the meeting and express your views.

CUCAS Meetings

CUCAS (Committee On Undergraduate Curriculum and Academic Standards Bylaws) meets the third Thursday of every month from 9:30 to 11 a.m., usually in the Student Center, Room 202. CUCAS reviews all proposals concerning changes in courses, programs and academic standards. Proposals are due the preceding Wednesday by noon. Generally, most proposals will also have been approved by the appropriate department(s) and school committee(s). Please submit items (21 copies) for CUCAS consideration to Terry Buzaid, Academic Affairs, University Hall. Please make sure all submissions are complete, including cover pages and appropriate signatures. Please consult the online faculty handbook for more details on submitting proposals to CUCAS at wcsu.edu/facultystaff/handbook/.

— Katy Wiss, CUCAS Chair

Institutional Review Board 2009-10 Meeting Schedule

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) will meet on Wednesdays in the Student Center, Room 228, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on the following days: Oct. 21, Nov. 18, Dec. 16, Jan. 27, 2010, Feb. 17, March 17, April 21, and May 19. If you would like to submit a proposal, please send the original proposal plus 12 copies of the proposal, at least two weeks in advance of the meeting date, to the Office of Grant Programs in Warner Hall 321. IRB forms and the link to the required on-line training programs for protection of human subjects can be found on the ERes page under “Institutional Review Board.” For questions, please contact Dr. Shane Murphy at x79398.

Deadlines for Faculty Development Funds

Deadlines for applications for the 2009-10 Faculty Development Funds are listed below. The application can be found in the Faculty Handbook on the WCSU Web site under Faculty and Staff, (click on Faculty Handbook, then click on View Table of Forms). Make sure to include a "WCSU Request for Professional Travel Worksheet" with your application. Late applications will not be accepted. Please contact Russell Hirshfield, chair of the Faculty Development and Recognition Committee, if you have any questions.

Dec. 4, 2009 is the deadline for activity from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28, 2010

Feb. 5, 2010 is the deadline for activity from March 1 to May 31, 2010

April 23, 2010 is the deadline for activity from June 1 to Sept. 30, 2010

faculty recognition ceremony 2009

The Faculty Development and Recognition Committee (FDRC) in conjunction with the Office of the Provost, is pleased to announce that the annual Faculty Recognition Ceremony (FRC) will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 4 p.m. in Warner Hall. At this event, faculty accomplishments for the time period covering June 1, 2008 – May 31, 2009 will be recognized. The Faculty Recognition application for this year’s ceremony can be found via a link on the wcsu.edu Web site. Please note that applications will be accepted only electronically. Where supporting documentation of an activity is requested, it should be submitted as an attachment to the electronically submitted application. This year’s ceremony will include the third annual “WCSU Teaching Excellence Award.” Please see the link to the Provost’s announcement for the criteria and nomination process for this award. Details concerning the format of the FRC can be found through a link at wcsu.edu as well. This event is free and open to WCSU faculty and staff only. The deadline for submissions is 9 a.m. on Oct. 26. Please make every effort to be included in this important event.

The Hancock Student Leadership Program is requesting applications for the 2009-10 cohort. The deadline for online applications is midnight on Oct. 5. The program is designed to foster and acknowledge excellence in student leadership, and it provides students with training, mentoring, networking, a certificate of completion and numerous other benefits. Please encourage student leaders from all across campus to apply for this worthwhile program. For more information please visit wcsu.edu/hslp or contact Walter Bernstein at x78600 or Averell Manes at x78452.

Event Posters

Western Connecticut State University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity educator and employer, fully committed to the goal of providing equal opportunity and full participation in its educational programs, activities and employment without discrimination.